Two cups of coffee a day reduces risk of erectile dysfunction

A new study has suggested that erectile dysfunction can be cured by drinking
coffee

Dr Petra advises partners on how to help with erection issuesPhoto: ALAMY

By Saffron Alexander

11:21AM BST 21 May 2015

Suffering from erectile dysfunction? According to a new study, coffee could be the cure.

Researchers from the University of Texas found that men who consumed at least two cups of coffee a day saw a 42 per cent reduction in the occurrence of erectile dysfunction.

3,724 men over the age of 20 who particpated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were asked about their caffeine consumption and if they suffered from erectile dysfunction. The data took into account the amount of coffee, tea, and other high-caffeine drinks they consumed on average per day.

Participants who consumed between 85mg and 170mg of caffeine a day were 42 per cent less likely to experience erectile dysfunction compared to those who drank no caffeine. The occurence of erectile dysfunction was reported by 39 per cent of those who drank between 171mg and 303mg of caffeine a day.

According to the NHS, one instant mug of coffee contains around 100mg of caffeine.

The study suggests that caffeine helps to relax arteries in the penis which increases the blood flow.

Two cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of erectile dysfunction (ALAMY)

Though the study found that though the chance of erectile dysfunction lessened in men who were overweight or suffered from high blood pressure who drank two cups of caffeine a day, it found that men with diabetes saw no reduction.

Lead author of the study David Lopez said: "Even though we saw a reduction in the prevalence of ED with men who were obese, overweight and hypertensive, that was not true of men with diabetes. Diabetes is one of the strongest risk factors for ED, so this was not surprising."

In 2012, a study found that drinking several cups of coffee a day could help protect against bowel cancer. However a spokesman for the charity Beating Bowel Cancer called the study inconclusive, saying: "Anyone wanting to reduce their chance of bowel cancer should primarily make sure they have a healthy diet, take exercise, and stop smoking.